The answer to that question is no, Japan like most countries do not offer duel citizenship. Meaning once you live in Japan for more then 5 years you will need/should to nationalize. Now that does not mean you can not move back to your homeland and all that good information. Its just harder that`s all.

Alright well below is my advice to making the big move to any country and I will answer a few questions you may have.

1. Set-up a realistic time frame for your move.

For me my leave date was September of 2007. I started my lessons in Japanese language and culture in 2005. My mom being Japanese made things easy for me since I did not have hire someone to teach me Japanese or go to school or anything. So you may want to take a few years to get yourself ready for your new life overseas.

2. Learn The Language!

For the sake of this article, I assume your moving to a country where they do not speak the same language as you. Taking a few years to really study up the language never hurts but I learned the complete Japanese language in a matter of three months so it really is up to you. Tip for people moving to Japan. Some parts of Japan have people who do not speak any English at all. Always assume that no one speaks English.

3. Pack Lightly!

Its never a great idea to drag an entire bedrooms worth of stuff around anyplace. So bring only what you know what you need. You can always buy new things in your home land.

4. The Emotional Good-Bye!

This one is easy. I just told family and friends I was moving to Japan to get back in touch with my Japanese side of my multi-culture heritage. But for those not with any heritage to their new country. Tell family and friends that you will be happier living there and that you still love them. Its just that you don`t like the culture you live in.

5. The Penguins Of Madagascar!

Nickoledeon show about penguins in a zoo that go on missions and act all military like. Probably one of the best American anime shows made in a really long time. Its really funny and cute…The Inou loves Rico!!

6. Be prepared  for anything!!!

You never know what will happen in your new homeland so its important to make sure you are ready for anything and everything that can and will happen to you. Get sick? Know how to get to and communicate with doctors. Things getting ugly? make sure you have enough money to fly yourself back to your homeland. Be smart, Be safe.

7. Everybody needs a friend…

Its never a bad idea to go online and make a friend with someone in the new country that will help you find a job, an apartment and even help you unpack! This new friend will also show you the best places. You should try to build a life long friendship with this person since they helped you move and all.

Thats really all the advice I can give to you. Each persons trip will be different and each person will take the trip in a different matter. Just be smart and most of all be safe and enjoy your trip and new life!!

If you have any questions and are reading this on Gaijin pot just leave the questions in the comments section and I will try my best to answer them in a timely matter. If you are reading this on the Games To Dust website, send your questions in to the address shown and I will try to answer it on the show.

Thank you all and God bless!!

Awhile back, there was a survey that asked the average Japanese citizen this question: “What do you consider bad manners on a train or subway?” This survey showed that an overwhelming number of Japanese people thought that sitting improperly – one person taking up two spaces – was by far the worst way one could behave on a train. I have asked Japanese friends/colleagues their thoughts and almost everyone had “sitting improperly” first or second on their own personal lists thus somewhat validating the results of the survey. This got me thinking as to what I consider bad manners on a train.

It goes without saying, that bad manners are subjective – what is bad to one might not be (so) bad to another. Personally, I am not offended when someone takes up more than one space on the train bench. My reasoning comes from the fact that Americans value their personal space: we don’t really like sitting or being so close to people so we don’t mind if some individuals take matters into their own hands and try to create “breathing room.” In fact, we (fellow Americans) may be some of the same culprits taking up more than his or her share.

First of all, I do not like people sitting in the priority seats when they know good and well that they are neither　disabled, pregnant, nor elderly. I have had to tell a young man to get up out of his seat and allow an elderly woman – holding a shopping bag in one hand and a cane in the other – to sit down in his place. This kind of behavior can be considered gauche no matter where it is, but it is especially deplorable when it takes place in the priority seat area. I have even seen older ladies lose their balance and fall in the lap of someone sitting and that person still refuses to give up his or her seat.

Another thing I hate is seeing a man shave or a woman put on makeup in the train – a moving train, nonetheless. I really think it is irrelevant if that person is running late and had no time to do it at home. My female friends tell me that I don’t know what it is like to be a woman and how interminable it is to get ready in the morning. That is very true; I have no idea about having to blow-dry my hair, curl (or straighten) it, and put on makeup in preparation for the day. But I do know that those activities should be done in a restroom; they can be done in the train station’s restroom or the one at your job, not in the train. Simply put: I find it very crass. It is equally as bad when I see a man break out his electric razor and begin shaving, sometimes with hilarious consequences (remember that the train is moving.)

I know many people have experienced this: You are riding the train, checking your email or reading a book, and suddenly someone’s head drops on your shoulder. The head is from someone who has just fallen asleep. I understand the monotony of the train can induce sleep, especially if you had a particularly busy day, but I think more people have to control themselves. I do not want anyone, regardless of age, sex, or sexual orientation, violating my personal space by placing a part of their body on mine. Infuriation sets in when the person in question reeks of alcohol and sweat.

Like I said, I enjoy the trains in Japan, but every so often there is a need to vent.

But it is here that my awe of civility ends. Once on the train, something takes over the minds of Tokyoites, possessing them with a “survival of the fittest” mentality, a competitive instinct perhaps born of a need to remain afloat in a city of millions. As soon as the doors open, these lines that have been created in such an orderly fashion cease to have meaning. Passengers begin the mad rush, pushing and scurrying for any available seat, or if you miss out, the preferred area by the door or end of the carriage where you can lean against the railing.

The sheer amount of people on Tokyo’s rail network is expected and unavoidable. I have often thought that this problem of overcrowding could be solved by having more trains, but then I quickly recall how often the trains come already (every few minutes) and think that probably the network is at full capacity, and trying to run more trains would be a safety nightmare.

It is not the number of people that is surprising but the behaviour of those onboard. It’s first come, first served. And never mind who you bowl over in the process: an old lady, a mother with a small child…

Once I was traveling back home after a long day at work with some heavy bags. A seat became available directly in front of me. From what I have observed of train behaviour thus far, my fortunate location means that I get first dibs on the seat. However, I first scoured the carriage to see if there was anyone who might need the seat more than me but could only see young businessmen. Deciding it was safe to take a seat, I turned to sit down. Within that split second, a man had decided he wanted the seat, slid in behind me and sat down. I almost ended up sitting on him! My first thought was, “How rude!” And secondly, “You’re a man and you think it is appropriate to literally steal a seat from under a woman?!”

It was at this moment that I realized the role gender plays in my perceptions of train etiquette. If this had been a woman, would I have had the same reaction? Probably not. I would have thought it was rude but I would not have responded in gender terms.

Is this sexist on my part? Maybe. Old-fashioned? Probably. But part of me believes that men behaving chivalrously towards women is the proper order of things. Men, technically the stronger of the species, should do the “manly” thing and stand. Are women weaker? At least, do we want to be considered weaker? Probably not. We have been fighting for so long to gain equal rights (which arguably have not yet been fully achieved), to say we can do things just as well as men. And, indeed, I support equality, not only on gender grounds. But in terms of physicality, yes, men are stronger. That’s why women’s tennis matches are limited to three sets, and why men and women don’t compete against each other in the Olympics. It would be considered an unfair advantage for men if that were to be the case, hence the uproar over the recent hermaphrodite revelations.

One night when I relayed the seat-stealing experience to my husband, he said, “I agree, that was rude but…” he questioned, “…do you think men should get up for women all of the time?” “Well, no”, I said. “If it is an elderly man or someone who is unwell, injured, or carrying a small child for example, then of course I don’t expect them to. In fact, I would insist they sit down before me. But if they are young enough and fully-abled, then I think they should. Maybe they don’t have to get up all of the time, but I think they should at least offer their seat”.

Part of me agrees with my husband’s reasoning. He does have a point. If men and women are truly equal as we have fought so hard for, then men should have the same right to sit as women. But I still find myself continually aggravated as I see yet another person obviously in need of a seat when men who could easily stand don’t budge. They can look these people in the eye but have no conscience to even offer their seat? I stand in frustration as men sit while a heavily pregnant woman stands and an old lady struggles to stay upright as the train sways from side to side, barely able to reach the hand rail. Don’t they care? What if that was their heavily pregnant wife or their elderly mother, would they think differently? When they get old, wouldn’t they want someone to stand for them?

So it is in this frustration, I ask somewhat of a controversial question: Is chivalry dead in Tokyo? Well…maybe not dead with no hope of revival. I have to admit I have seen some wonderful acts of generosity and kindness, all be they few and far between. But perhaps Tokyo’s chivalry is suffering some kind of long-term illness awaiting a cure. Perhaps too, we cannot limit this issue only to Tokyo, but a trend plaguing many of our world’s cities. What will it take for things to change? Well, that depends. We only put effort into finding cures when we think there is a need for one.

“Accordingly, if a health insurance ID card is not presented (to an immigration officer), that alone cannot be sufficient reason for rejection or denial of a (visa) application,” according to the document.

This passage makes it very clear that not being enrolled in one of Japan’s public health insurance plans cannot of itself be sufficient cause for declining a foreigner’s application for visa renewal or change of status. Please read the entire Immigration document to fully understand the policy.

For more on legal issues, health and visas in Japan, check GaijinPot In Japan pages.  This story is a follow on to a previous post on visa’s in Japan mentioned here.

An apartment block in Tokyo, Japan. Photo taken by Kristian Stevens

Houses and apartments resemble each other to an extent in industrialized nations. With that said, houses and apartments vary from country to country and even from city to city in some places. When I first came to Japan I didn’t really know what to expect. Obviously, I knew the houses and apartments would be different; especially since America and Japan are on the opposite ends of the earth. There are numerous differences and books have been written about them. Let me just touch on a few.

I will start by skipping the obvious difference: houses in America are a bit bigger than ones in Japan. Let us now move on. It seems silly now, but I when I first moved into an apartment in Japan I expected the flooring to be entirely tatami. You watch movies and see pictures of people’s houses and the one thing that jumps out at you is a sea of tan. Imagine my surprise when I walked into an apartment and found out that the floors were wood-paneled. I was shocked twice: there was no tatami and there was no carpet. Where I’m from, carpet is very common to have especially in houses.

Next, apartments in Japan are not as well insulated as ones in the U.S. My first month was like living in an igloo especially because I didn’t want the heater on full blast all day – high electricity bills were a concern of mine. The silver lining in the cloud was that I am from gelid Michigan, so I was pretty used to fending against the cold.

As far as houses go, I have done a homestay before and one of the biggest differences I noticed was the separation of the toilet from the bathtub. This was jaw-dropping because you simply do not see this in America. I didn’t think the toilet was special enough to have its own room . . . oh how lucky the toilets are in Japan (I was being sarcastic if you couldn’t tell)! In the interest of full disclosure, I have got accustomed to this practice. Nowadays, when I walk into a bathroom and the toilet is next to the tub, I feel it is somewhat unsanitary.

Another difference is the basement. In America, it is not uncommon to find a house that has a basement. The basement can be used as a game room (billiards, table tennis, etc.) or it can be used to store various seasonal items (Halloween or Christmas decorations). Furthermore, in many houses the basement is used to keep the washer and dryer. They may exist somewhere in Japan, but I have never seen a house with a basement and I’ve never known a Japanese who has seen or lived in a house with one.

Lastly, in most houses and apartments in Japan one needs to “turn on” the hot water before hot water comes out of the tap. Everyone is familiar with this electronic box that allows hot water to flow and even controls the temperature of the water. Simply put, without turning on the switch, hot water does not flow. In America, hot water comes out of the tap naturally – meaning there is no button to press; turn the knob situated on the left of the tap and hot water comes out. This is probably the most frustrating difference. I sometimes hop into a shower before turning on the hot water, the shower flows for a couple of minutes and I wonder to myself “Why isn’t it warming up?” I suddenly figure out the why, forcing me to walk out in the good ol’ birthday suit and turn on the hot water much to the chagrin of past roommates and (now) my wife.

I am interested in differences you may have noticed from your own experiences.  

1.  Proof of Social Insurance to be Required for Visa Renewals, Status Changes

One important new change to Japan’s visa rules is the introduction, from April 1, 2010, of the requirement to provide proof of enrollment in Japan’s Social Insurance programs to be eligible to renew or change visas. Although enrollment in Social Insurance (health, pension) has always been required of all residents, this marks the first time proof of enrollment will be required for visa renewal. There may be some limited exemptions for those on short-term stays from countries with a reciprocal Social Security Agreement with Japan if they can provide evidence of enrollment in their home country’s social security programs.

2.    New Visa Application Forms

The Immigration Department has also revised its visa/COE application forms. The new forms are already available on the Immigration Department website (http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/keiziban/sinnsei-kaisei/nintei/). They will continue to accept the old application forms for a limited time, but eventually these will be phased out.

3.    Government to Issue new Resident Cards for Foreigners

The government also recently announced that they will phase out the current Alien Registration Card system within the next three years and that all foreign residents will be issued a new “Zairyu” Resident Card. This new IC-chipped card will be issued by the Immigration Department, rather than the Ward or City Office and will include information such as; name, date of birth, sex, nationality, address of main residence, status of residence, period of stay, etc.. The card will combine the data currently collected separately under the Immigration Control Act and Alien Registration Law.

Cardholders will be expected to carry their card with them at all times and must report any changes to their employment, residency, or spousal status to the Immigration Department within 14 days or risk fines up to JPY200,000 or imprisonment.

4.    Relaxation of Re-Entry Permit Requirements and Increase to Maximum Period of Stay

Other Immigration Law changes to be implemented within the next 3 years include an extension of the maximum period of stay from the current 3 years to 5 years, and the relaxation of requirements to obtain re-entry permits. Residence Card holders with a valid passport will not be required to apply for a re-entry permit if they are to re-enter Japan within one year of their departure date. More guidance on these changes is expected in the future.

The GaijinPot In Japan Visa pages offer more advice and info for applying and renewing a visa for Japan.

Robert Crane blogs from Solid Japan K.K

Even if you are fairly secure in your apocalyptic response capacity, this safety “museum” can be very entertaining if you go with the right crowd. The staff will guide you through various simulations of common emergency situations. For starters, you and your companions can sit around a table in the fake kitchen and role play the proper way to react when your whole world starts to shake.

Afterward, you can evaluate your performance (and giggle at a number of inadvertent plumbers’ cracks) while watching the video playback. There is also an opportunity for you to crawl through a twisting corridor outfitted with fog machines. This section is designed to recreate the atmosphere in a burning building.

You must crawl within a certain distance from the ground in order to complete the obstacle before “dying” of smoke inhalation. Your mission is to make it out on the other side and avoid burning yourself on the knobs of any unsafe doorways. No visit to the Bosaikan could be considered complete, however, without a trip to the fire extinguisher practice theater.

In this area, you will learn (and likely forget) the appropriate Japanese warning phrase to yell out before dousing a projected image of a flaming car with actual streams of water. Finally, don’t pass up the hyper campy earthquake dramatization film near the entrance. I say this because you might think you are too cool for such nonsense, and that would be a mistake. The heartrending performances, kitsch backdrop and perplexingly stunted dialogue are not to be missed.

Outlet shop

Japan is brimming with fashion spots like Harajuku, Ometesando, Ikebukuro, Shibuya and Shinjuku. Each of these places carry its own shopping cultures, movement and people. However, lets leave that discussion for another day, because as promise, I’m going to show you places where you can get the goods you’ve been dying for there, but only cheaper.

In Kobe, there is shopping mecca called Porto Bazaar where you can get designer and branded pieces sold for much less.

In Hyogo (specifically located near my place in Kakogawa), there is an outlet shop that sells heaps of branded and cool pieces from Edwin, Seventeen and more with prices that range from ¥200-¥4000 (about $2-$40).

Vintage shops

Second hand shops in Japan are everywhere, and since the economy downturn, even more so.

Vintage shops in Japan are great because they seems to sell the best of designers goods for next-to-nothing. Here are some of the shops in Kakogawa that sells branded pieces from Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons, Dior, Coach, Louis Vuitton and even local labels such as Cinema Club, Ingni and many more.

The one hundred-Yen shop

Or should I say, the one hundred and ten yen shop? (since it’s always has an additional 10% tax). Daiso is a popular store that sells everything in ¥100 and there’s one located in every part of Japan. You could find everything here from food, office ware, school supplies, garden tools, car accessories and of course beauty and fashion goods such as make-up, tights, stockings, gloves, knit materials and hair accessories.

The letter takes issue with several key points of the new guidelines – points that both the city of Kobe and Free Choice agree must be satisfactorily addressed.  For one, it questions the ambiguity of the guideline’s newly added provision that “an applicant for visa renewal must be covered by social insurance.”  The guideline does not identify or even address the rules or standards that would be applied should an applicant not be enrolled in the social health plan.  The letter further points out that many foreigners already carry private medical insurance and acknowledges that such plans can in many cases do a better job of covering many of the problems typically faced by foreigners, such as emergency family reunion expenses for serious illness or injury and repatriation of remains in the event of death.  It also alludes to the guidelines’ silence on how such individuals are to be treated.

Kobe City has strong international heritage.  It openly welcomes the foreign community, and has also worked diligently to attract foreign companies.  By offering lower city taxes and other measures, it has created a zone friendly to outside businesses.  The city is also well known for the large biotechnology sector that is housed on its Port Island and its active recruitment of foreign researchers to come and work there.

Chairman Yoshida and the Kobe City Assembly do not feel that the new Immigration guidelines are in the best interest of their city.  They can foresee the potential detriment to their foreign community and, ultimately, to their city as a whole.  We at Free Choice wholeheartedly applaud their stance. To find out more about Kobe’s stance on this issue, please visit:

http://www.freechoice.jp/kobe.asp

Any foreigner who’s been in Japan for a while can tell you that there’s a lot of ups and downs to living life out here. As a country, Japan seems to prize itself on it’s homogeny, and as such, one sees everything from  the Japanese government’s 1986 proud announcement of it’s ‘mono-ethnicity’ (despite having a multitude of indigenous ethnic minorities, populations of people who migrated from southeast and far east Asia over the centuries, and a continuingly growing population of people with mixed nationalities)  to the fact that when asked for their personal opinion on a matter, locals will often respond, “Well, we Japanese think…”. As a foreigner out here this translates into living an existence where both all of your strengths and all of your weaknesses stem from the fact that you are blistering different, and few books I’ve read have so eloquently and honestly portrayed that fact as Wayne Aponte’s ‘The Year of No Money in Tokyo”.

In Aponte’s book, he chronicles his transition from life as an impoverished youth in New York to the high life as a successful businessman in Tokyo to the lows of being completely penniless during the middle of a recession, and the consequential journey he takes to find his way back to financial (and psychological) well-being. The book takes place over the course of a year it takes him to do so, and as he writes one can not just get a feeling for the myriad of status levels falling under the umbrella term of  ‘foreigner’, but also the varying mentalities that one shifts through as they go from one to the other.

Aponte’s journey reshapes him from everything to a giver and socialite to a parasite and womanizer, and in telling his story he pulls no punches in terms of describing himself or the things that he does. His brutal honesty is both breathtaking, refreshing, and shocking all at the same time, and even if some might not like him at the beginning of the book, it’s hard not to respect him by the end. His uncompromising volition towards his goal of finding his way against his odds, (and personality faults) is admirable, as is the fact he does not play himself up to be more than he is. In a city that prides itself on it’s gloss, and shimmer and cares more about it’s outward image than it’s skyrocketing suicide rates, Aponte writes as a man who has pushed past the b*llshit and displays Tokyo for all that it is- lonely and neurotic, expensive and exceeding classy, and ostrasizing and incredibily opportunistic all at the same time.

For those foreigners living here, The Year of No Money offers a fascinating glimpse into not just the lives of those other foreigners who’s faces we see, but stories we never hear- but also into the darker – and brighter- side of ourselves.